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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26687875">Lost in Translation</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArthurtheGatekeeper/pseuds/ArthurtheGatekeeper'>ArthurtheGatekeeper</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The Witcher (TV), Wiedźmin | The Witcher - All Media Types</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>(Which is Polish btw), Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia Loves Jaskier | Dandelion, Jaskier uses all the pet names just in elder, Jaskier | Dandelion Loves Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia, Jaskier's a thief cause that's canon, M/M, and i think it's funny, bilingual Jaskier, to go with the fact he's Bi</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-09-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 04:01:45</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>1,536</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26687875</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArthurtheGatekeeper/pseuds/ArthurtheGatekeeper</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Jaskier was better at Elder than Geralt. Which was fine because it meant occasionally Jaskier taught him new words.<br/>He didn't admit he didn't understand the words of course. Context was everything. He could figure it out.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Geralt z Rivii | Geralt of Rivia/Jaskier | Dandelion</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>528</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Lost in Translation</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“You found a job?” Jaskier jumped up and clasped his hands in his excitedly. “We might get to eat tonight?”</p><p>“If he pays.” He shook free from Jaskier’s hands and collected their things. </p><p>“Well what’s the job? Hunting sirens? Fighting a kraken? Did a sea witch steal someone’s voice?” He bounced after him. Remarkably upbeat despite their growling bellies.</p><p>“Translating.” Jaskier stopped behind him. “For a mermaid.”</p><p> Jaskier jogged up behind him and peered up at him uncertainly. “Translating. Like diplomatically?”</p><p>“Apparently the mayor’s in love with her.” His lips quirked upward indulgently. Jaskier always enjoyed a romance.</p><p>“Oh no.” He shot him a confused look. “Geralt you’re going to play moderator in a multi lingual lover’s spat? <i>You</i>?” He turned off in another direction. “I’ll see if I can find us” Steal. He meant steal. “Something to eat tonight cause you’re <i>not </i>getting paid.”</p><p>He hated it when Jaskier was right.</p><p>“How’d you know?” He asked as Jaskier peeled the carrots and potatoes he’d stolen from a garden. </p><p>“Your Elder... It leaves a lot to be desired. And you’re not great at romance either. Asshole still should have paid you though.”</p><p>“I know enough to break curses.”</p><p>“And to curse!” Jaskier beamed at him gesturing emphatically with the knife. “You’re very good at cursing.”</p><p>“<i>I’m good at Elder!</i>” He growled in Elder just to prove his point.</p><p>“<i>Sure, najdroższy, Sure.</i>” Jaskier responded. He didn’t know what the middle word meant. It wasn’t Witcher or wolf or any of the normal words folks used to refer to him.</p><p>He repeated it in his head. A new insult was always welcome.</p><p>It seemed very effective when he yelled it at Yennefer. She often cursed at him in Elder so he never knew if she was <i>actually</i> cursing him or just yelling at him in Elder to prove how much smarter she was.</p><p>He snapped it at the end of a rant. “<i> Najdroższa.</i> ” Remembering to switch the pronoun to female for Yennefer. Because he was good at Elder.</p><p>She’d frozen. Grown incredibly pale. On her lips died the argument.</p><p>Portaled away.</p><p>He didn’t see her for four months.</p><p>He decided not to say it again.</p><p> </p><p>“Stop laughing! This is your fault!”</p><p>“How is it my fault you used a word you don’t know the meaning of?” Jaskier asked between rippling laughter. “Oh gods of course she ran away. That is too good.”</p><p>He glowered at the fish roasting on the rock.</p><p>Jaskier pat him on the arm. “Oh <i>Skarbie</i>.”</p><p>Oh you fool. That had to be what that one meant.</p><p> </p><p>“Oh Skarbie.” He sighed when Lambert dropped the coal lump that was supposed to have been dinner on the table.</p><p>Lambert scowled fiercely at him. “You’re the fucking Skarbie.”</p><p>Vesemir stood suddenly and hurried from the room. Covering his ears.</p><p>“What’s his problem?” Eskel asked, pausing his chipping away at the ruined meal.</p><p>“No fucking clue.” Lambert helpfully offered.</p><p>“Probably getting away from your cooking.” He pointed out.</p><p>Lambert tackled him, even though he was completely right.</p><p> </p><p>He woke to yelling. Yelling in rapid Elder that he’d barely be able to follow if his head wasn’t full of cotton and pounding.</p><p>It was Jaskier’s voice he dimly realized. He groaned.</p><p>Jaskier might know the language but he rarely knew when to shut up.</p><p>“<i>Don’t kill him you can’t kill him On jest moim sercem! Jest moją duszą!"</i> He is. He is something.</p><p>He closed his eyes and readied himself.</p><p>The arguments raised on around him and he let them wash over him. They wouldn’t hurt Jaskier. Not unless Geralt became a problem. He wouldn’t. He’d go quietly.</p><p>On jest. Moim. Something. The words fell through his mind like sand in a sieve. On Jest. Something. He was something.</p><p>The yelling stopped. He listed helplessly in the bindings. Awaiting the blade.</p><p>The bindings severed and Jaskier’s hands caught him as he fell.</p><p>“Kochanie? Darling are you alright?”</p><p>He started to nod and the world spun. He breathed through his nose to halt the return of his last meal.</p><p>“Alright. Slowly then. Let’s get out of here.”</p><p> </p><p>“Why” Jaskier whined the word. Drawing every syllable out to absurd lengths. “Would you give them the last of our food? We don’t have any money Geralt!”</p><p>“They needed it more than us.” He ground out over the aching in his belly. It was true but if Jaskier didn’t stop complaining about it soon he would start yelling back.</p><p>Neither of them had much patience on an empty stomach.</p><p>He deflated. “You had better hope this next town loves music mój miły"</p><p>“Or leaves their gardens unattended, ty złodziejaszku.” <i>You little thief.</i> He knew that one for sure.</p><p>Jaskier smirked and placed a hand on his heart in mock protest. “Darling, I don’t have to share if it upsets your delicate sensibilities.”</p><p>“I didn’t say that.”</p><p> </p><p>Tied up. Back to back. This really shouldn’t happen as often as it did.</p><p>Jaskier was shaking. No matter how many of these situations they survived it was important to remember this one could be the last.</p><p>It was rather looking like this might be it.</p><p>He sighed. His head bowed forward. Hair falling in his face.</p><p>“Oh no! No no no no no no!” Jaskier’s voice climbed the octaves. “You are not allowed to give up! You are supposed to get us out of this! You are not allowed to sigh and give up. There- There- there has to be something! Something we can- Please.” He begged.</p><p>He had nothing to offer so he remained silent.</p><p>“Geralt?” He ignored the taste of fresh salt in the air. “Say something you ass. You obstinate buffoon! Say something.”</p><p>The ropes pulled taunt as Jaskier tried to curl in on himself.</p><p>“Miłuję cię.”</p><p>He leaned back against Jaskier to ease the tension in the ropes. Either a break would come or they’d die here. Jaskier’s back was warm against his.</p><p>“I don’t understand.”</p><p>“I know.”</p><p><i>Miłuję cię.</i> He mentally repeated while Jaskier sniffled behind him. <i>Miłuję cię.</i></p><p>If they escaped he’d ask what it meant. If Jaskier wouldn’t explain then Yennefer or book would have the translation.</p><p>
  <i>Miłuję cię.</i>
</p><p> </p><p>In the rush to escape he hadn’t the chance to ask. Jaskier danced around the answer and avoided his eyes. His touch. His very presence. For weeks.</p><p>It was annoying as hell.</p><p>“What’s got your knickers in a twist?” Yennefer queried as she breezed into the seat across from him.</p><p>He glared at her and made sure he didn’t look in the bard’s direction.</p><p>She rolled her eyes. Seeing through him as always. “What did he do now?”</p><p>He scowled at his drink and downed a swallow. “He said something.” He started. It felt stupid. Admitting he didn’t know the phrase. How it had strained them. It was just another damn phrase he didn’t understand. Jaskier had no right to be weird about it. He shouldn’t have let him be weird about it.</p><p>“Yes he does that. A lot.” Came her blasé response. ‘Don’t tell me you didn’t notice.”</p><p>“In Elder.”</p><p>She raised her perfectly shaped eyebrows without dropping the mask of overwhelming boredom.</p><p>He squeezed the mug tighter. “I don’t know what it means and he won’t tell me and he’s been acting weird since he said it so clearly.” The mug creaked in his hand. He forced himself to let go before he broke it. “It was one hell of an insult.”</p><p>She stared at him. Unimpressed. She hid the eye roll with a slow blink. “Fine. Tell me what he said.”</p><p>He squinted at her. Trying to sort out her game.</p><p>“Hurry up before I decide to charge you for my help.”</p><p>“Miłuję cię.” He mumbled into the ale.</p><p>She leaned forward. “What?”</p><p>He scowled. “Miłuję cię.”</p><p>She huffed. A smile twisted onto her face. Started laughing.</p><p>“That’s not an insult you idiot.” She eventually managed around her chortling.</p><p>“What else could it be!” He snapped. People were staring. Hell even Jaskier was. Pointedly trying to draw attention away from them.</p><p>“A declaration of love.” Her eyes glittered with mirth. “I means I love you.”</p><p>I love you. Miłuję cię.</p><p>“A rather antiquated way to say it but he is a bard I suppose.” She continued but he didn’t hear her.</p><p>Miłuję cię.</p><p>I love you.</p><p>“Geralt? Did Yennefer curse you again? Because if you’re going to go on another rampage because of her I really deserve a warning.” Jaskier’s blue eyes peered into his. Hair flopping sweatily into his eyes. A teasing smile on his face that mostly hid his concern.</p><p>“Miłuję cię.”</p><p>His smile faltered. “Ah. She told you then? It doesn’t have to change anything.” Jaskier reached out for his hands. He didn’t pull away so they wrapped around his. Long fingers covering his hands. “You have and will always be my best friend first and foremost.”</p><p>“Miłuję cię.” He repeated firmly.</p><p>“Tak.” Yes. “Miłuję cię.” He smiled weakly. “I love you.”</p><p>He rolled the words around in his mouth. The conjugations and order. Jaskier’s shoulders fell. His hands retreated.</p><p>He grabbed them. “Ja też cię miłuję.”</p><p>“Oh.” His hands held in return. He smiled. Real and bright and true. “I also love you.”</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Thank you for reading! All of the polish was provided by the wonderful Thegirlwithnonickname on tumblr! (but any mistakes are definitely on me :p) Also fun fact! Ja też cię miłuję is what Jaskier says to Geralt in the Polish Witcher! Yep. He says I love you too to Geralt. ITS CANON BABY. (Just don't ask how Geralt responded. Why? Exactly.) Remember comments/kudos make the words go round!</p><p>najdroższy -  Dearest (male)<br/>Skarbie - "you, the treasure"<br/>On jest moim sercem! - He is my heart!<br/>Jest moją duszą! - He is my soul!<br/>Kochanie - Darling<br/>mój miły - My kind one<br/>ty złodziejaszku - You little thief<br/>Miłuję cię - I love you<br/>Ja też cię miłuję - I also love you</p></blockquote></div></div>
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